Antibodies to hepatitis C virus and alanine amino-transferase in chronic liver disease

80 patients of chronic liver disease with 10 healthy controls were studied in the Microbiology Department, Basic Sciences Medical Institute, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center [BMSI, JPMC], Karachi. All patients were suffering from chronic liver disease i.e. chronic persistent hepatitis, chronic active hepatitis, cirrhosis of liver and hepatocellular carcinoma for more than six months duration. The alanine aminotransferase [ALT] was persistent / fluctuating raised [>40 IU/L for males and > 35 IU/L for females] for more than three months. Samples were collected from admitted patients of various hospitals of Karachi. Ten healthy individuals with normal ALT were also included in the study. The prevalence among chronic liver disease was found to be 40%. The prevalence with history of blood transfusion, parentral therapies, hemodialysis and with no known history of possible contact with the virus was found 45%, 45.6%, 100% and 28.7% respectively